D-II hockey: OR, Red Raiders unable to settle things in OT

Thursday

Jan 3, 2013 at 3:15 AM

By Mike Whaleymwhaley@fosters.com

DURHAM — A power-play goal, a short-handed score, some good goaltending and some tense moments in overtime added up to a 1-1 Division II tie between Seacoast rivals Oyster River High School and Spaulding Wednesday at the Whittemore Center Arena.

The Bobcats (2-2-1) scored a first-period power-play goal and led 1-0 for a period and a half, until the Red Raiders (4-0-1) notched the equalizer with a third-period shorty.

Both goalies, OR’s Brennan Young and Spaulding’s Derek Scott, kept their respective teams in the game, particularly Young who made 44 saves.

Scott stopped 20 shots, five big ones coming in overtime, including a brilliant save on OR’s Cooper Smith who shook loose near the right post and Scott made a save on a point-blank shot.

“The first half of the game their shot total was inflated,” said Oyster River coach Griff Richard. “I wasn’t concerned about the shots they were getting. As the game got longer, they started getting some high quality shots and Brennan did a great job for us. We’ve got to tighten up and make sure we play 45 minutes of hockey.”

Scott also made two nice saves during a Bobcat flurry in front, while Young made several key stops on Spaulding sniper Brent Phillips.

“You assume when you take 40-odd shots that one’s going to get deflected and go in,” said Spaulding coach Paul George. “It didn’t happen tonight. They skate well and play good system hockey. We’ll settle for the tie — kissing the sister.”

The Bobcats struck first in the opening period when Trevar Delisle scored a power-play goal at 8:21. His shot from the top of the point went through a screen and beat Scott glove save. Smith and Patrick McDonough picked up assists.

OR had a golden opportunity to make it a 2-0 game early in the second period when they had a potential 5 on 3 for 1:45 after Alex Turgeon and Ben Williams were sent to the box 15 seconds apart.

“Especially the way they ran that first power play and scoring that goal,” George said, “I didn’t want to see them 5 on 3. We got lucky there, that’s for sure.”

“We really didn’t capitalize on that opportunity,” Richard added. “We didn’t work the puck around well. It’s early on in the year and we haven’t had a ton of time to work specialty teams. But that will be our focus going forward.”

The Bobcats attacked with a two-man advantage for a minute, but had nothing to show for it. They picked up their own penalty at 4:58 and from there frittered away the rest of the power play.

Spaulding tied up the game in the third period when Zander Allen forced a turnover in the Oyster River zone, got the puck to Justin Jewell and Jewell beat Young with a shot from the top of the slot for the shorthanded tally.

“We had to keep the puck in the zone,” Allen said. “I pushed it back and hoped to get it back to Jewell. He got a good shot on it. ... We should have put another one in there; another one or two.”

“I saw the puck coming at me,” Young said. “I had it lined up with my glove and then it bounced off someone’s pads and disappeared. There’s only so much you can do on those plays. Our defense did a pretty good job of clearing kids out of the front of the net today.”

Young earned his keep big time in the third from that point on. He made 13 saves, including several tough ones on shots by Phillips and Drew Pepin.

“It’s definitely about effort,” Young said. “The more shots I get the more I get into the zone. I like the games when I’m getting lots of shots because it means I’m ready and I’m moving quick. So I’m glad today went well.”

“We were a little confused on what the coaches wanted the defensemen to do (in the first period),” George added. “After we cleaned that up the defense did a good job of keeping the puck in and allowing our forwards to get more opportunities.”

Young was coming off his first career shutout Monday, a 5-0 win over Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., in the championship game of the inaugural Heuchling & Swift Memorial Classic. He had 26 saves in that game.

Both teams are back in action Saturday. OR plays at Keene, while Spaulding hosts Bow.